Robin Windsor may be out of the main Strictly Come Dancing competition but he’s been pretty busy the past few weeks.
Earlier this week it was announced he would be part of the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special dancing with presenter Sara Cox. He’s also featured on the cover of the Naked Issue of Gay Times which is available now.
We caught up with Robin to talk about the Strictly Christmas special, find out about his naked shoot and discuss the shock exit of Ben Cohen during last weekend’s results show.
This week the line-up for the Strictly Christmas special was announced and we hear you’ll be dancing with Sara Cox. How excited are you about that?
I was absolutely over the moon when they told me I’d be dancing with Sara Cox for the Christmas special, even more so when I actually met because she’s so funny. She’s from the same area as Lisa Riley and they’ve got very similar personalities and they’re a lot of fun. I think it’s going to be a great Christmas special on Christmas Day. I have to say the line-up this year is incredible.
The line-up this year is really impressive with people like Matt Goss and Elaine Paige taking part…
I think they’ve been very lucky to secure the celebrities they’ve got for Christmas. There’s such diversity in the six of them and it’s going to make great television. When everyone’s sat their eating their turkey and watching Strictly they’re going to have a great Christmas Day.
Are you pleased to be doing the Christmas show since you’re already out of the main competition?
As wonderful as the Christmas special is of course I’d rather still be in the competition all the way up to Christmas. However as I got knocked out early this year it’ll be my first time doing the Christmas special and it’s a lot of fun. We’re rehearsing and then filming it before Christmas so we’ll get to have two Christmases which is absolutely great!
We’re going to see the return of former Strictly pros Flavia and Ian too for the Christmas special. What’s it like to have them back?
It’s going to be awesome to have Flavia back. There’s been a big hole left in the show since her and Vincent left. Obviously Vincent’s off eating bugs in the jungle but Flavia’s back and she’s a lovely girl. It’ll be great to see her back on the dancefloor. Ian Waite is back again, of course, for Christmas and he’ll do an amazing job.
As you just mentioned Vincent is currently taking part in I’m A Celebrity… Have you been watching him on it?
I did see him go into the jungle. He’s making great television and he’s going to be tipped to win by a lot of people. He’s the sort of guy you just fall in love with and will pick up the phone and vote for. Everyone down at Strictly and all the fans of the show are going to be willing him on to win.
He’s been causing some controversy in the camp walking around in his tiny trunks and peeing in the camp at night. Is that the mischievous Vincent that you know?
Vincent is a very naughty and mischievous young man. I’m not surprised to see him in his underpants in the jungle. We used to see him in his underpants a lot!
Last week’s Strictly was a bit of a shocker when Ben Cohen left the competition wasn’t it?
Yeah! I watched Strictly from home last week because I’ve had problems with my back. I have to say I was absolutely devastated that Ben and Kristina were up for elimination. That was one of Ben’s best dances and he had great swivel on his feet. He really captured the spirit of the Charleston so I was really sad. I really thought they had a couple of weeks left in them.
The judge’s last week were very harsh. Is that because at this stage in the competition they have to find things to critique for each of the couples?
Obviously we’re at a crucial stage in the show right now where they want to see the best dancing possible. Of course there was a massive high from Blackpool but now we’re back in the studio in Elstree and they’re picking up on all those little faults that need correcting. The judges were a bit harsher than usual but as long as the celebrities can take those comments, bring them to the studio and work on them to fix those problems for next week, the judges will start to see more improvement.
What was your favourite dance last weekend?
My favourite dance last weekend was Brendan and Sophie’s Rumba. I thought they stole the show and I thought it was executed beautifully. Yes it wasn’t a traditionally sexy Rumba but it was very gentle and beautiful which is something that was nice to see. I however do a very raunchy Rumba but it really was nice to see it done the other way. I thought they stole the show.
Sophie has been getting a hard time from the judges with them saying she needs more personality and to bring more to the dancefloor. It feels like she does that but they still criticise her for those things every week…
I don’t think she needed to give more in the Rumba. I think she did the job that she was required to do. In previous weeks I did think she could give a bit more personality but this Rumba didn’t actually call for it. I still think it was the best dance of the night.
We’ve been seeing rather a lot of you this past week thanks to your cover shoot for the Naked Issue of Gay Times. Tell us what that experience was like for you.
Not long ago I was asked if I would strip for Gay Times magazine for charity. It took me a lot of persuasion but finally I decided to do it and I’m so glad I have done. Not only have they put me on the cover, which my Mum is going to find a little bit embarrassing, but it’s great that I can do something for charity that’s going to raise money and raise awareness for people with HIV. It’s coming up to World AIDS Day and it’s very important that we live long, healthy and happy lives. If a little bit of me can help a lot of people then I’ll do whatever it takes.
How have your fellow Strictly stars reacted to the pictures?
My Strictly colleagues are used to seeing me with not many clothes on (laughs). They’ve never seen me completely naked but they’re being very supportive. They know I’m doing it for a good cause and believe it or not I am a little shy.
Is it weird to go into the newsagents and see yourself on the shelves naked?
I have to admit that I went into a newsagents yesterday and seeing myself naked up on the shelf there was a little bit weird. I also bought the magazine so I felt a bit more embarrassed to take a magazine with me naked on the front and have to pay for it (laughs).
You must be getting used to stripping off though now surely? You’ve just released your calendar after years of your fans asking for one. Why did you decide to finally do it?
For the last couple of years lots of fans requested that I make a calendar. I kept putting it off and putting it off, and I got so inundated with messages that I should do one so I finally decided to do it. It was great. If you look at the calendar it looks like it was shot in the summer but it was actually shot at the end of September. It was freezing but it was a sunny day and I’m a mechanic in it, again with not many clothes on. That seems to be what was requested so that’s what I did.
It seems you’ve made a lot of people very happy…
If I can make a few people happy with my calendar then that’s absolutely amazing. If they want to look at me all year round then that’s even better. I’m just happy that all of the fans love the calendar. If you haven’t got one yet, there aren’t many left and it is coming up to Christmas!
Robin can be seen on the cover of the current issue of Gay Times which is available to buy in stores and online at www.gaytimes.co.uk now. His calendar is available exclusively from his website at www.robinwindsor.com.
Tune into Strictly Come Dancing at 7pm on BBC One and BBC One HD this weekend to see how the remaining couples get on. Watch Sophie and Brendan’s romantic Rumba from last week’s show below:
